上海市黄浦区2018年高三英语一模试卷

黄浦区2017学年度第一学期高三年级期终调研测试

英语试卷

（完卷时间：120分钟满分：140分）

第I卷（共100分）

I. Listening Comprehension

Section A

Directions: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and the question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.

1. A. Before dinner. B. During the meal.

C. After dinner.

D. Tomorrow evening.

2. A. In a hotel. B. At a bus station.

C. In a cinema.

D. At an airport.

3. A. Salesman and customer. B. Boss and secretary.

C. Doctor and patient.

D. Doctor and nurse.

4. A. 4. B.

5. C.

6. D.

7.

5. A. The lecture. B. The heat.

C. The workload.

D. The air quality.

6. A. Confident. B. Nervous. C. Uninterested. D. Annoyed.

7. A. Visit the company. B. Re-write his resumé.

C. Get a job on campus.

D. Apply for a job with PICC.

8. A. He is fearless. B. He is forgetful.

C. He is helpful.

D. He is thoughtful.

9. A. Talking about sports. B. Writing up local news.

C. Reading newspapers.

D. Putting up advertisements.

10. A. She expects to see him soon. B. She agrees with the man.

C. She doesn’t believe he can do it.

D. She will work for the library.

Section B

Directions:In Section B, you will hear one longer conversation and two short passages. After each conversation or passage, you will be asked several questions. The conversation and the passages will be read twice, but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, read the four possible answers on your paper and decide which one would be the best answer to the question you have heard.

Questions 11 through 14 are based on the following conversation.

11. A. The scientific steps to write a paper. B. A funny story that they read recently.

C. An assignment of a creative writing course.

D. A detective case that was just finished.

12. A. She encountered a bottleneck when writing a story.

B. She was happy that she finished the story easily.

C. She was expected to finish the story in a month.

D. She decided to give up the story eventually.

13. A. Change to another topic. B. Give the story an ending first.

C. Do work for another course.

D. Write everything occurring to her.

14. A. Buy jewels for her mother. B. Locate the security camera.

C. Do some research for her writing.

D. Rob a jewelry store for ideas.

Questions 15 through 17 are based on the following passage.

15. A. They don’t attach importance to scores. B. They attract fewer and fewer students.

C. They will take place next week.

D. They will no longer exist.

16. A. To inspire young people to practice more.

B. To encourage young people to be creative.

C. To motivate young people to keep learning.

D. To urge young people to start up companies.

17. A. To bring more economic benefits. B. To help students memorize better.

C. To change the present education system.

D. To develop teachers’ multi-skills.

Questions 18 through 20 are based on the following passage.

18. A. More communication with others. B. Construction of the life journey.

C. Revealing of determination.

D. Loss of the social identity.

19. A. Depression and isolation. B. Walking around the corner.

C. Lack of sleep.

D. Getting impatient.

20. A. Making it possible to get a pay rise.

B. Providing people with new business.

C. Giving people time to think about their life again.

D. Helping people to find jobs based on their hobbies.

II. Grammar and Vocabulary

Section A

Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Norway is Teaching Travelers to Travel

After 15 people died during Easter in 1967, the Norwegian Trekking Association and the Red Cross announced their campaign ‘Welcome to the mountains, but be responsible’. Fjellvettreglene, the ‘mountain code’(21) ______ encourages people to have a healthy and respectful relationship with nature, has since become a crucial part of Norwegian culture. It includes points such as bringing necessary equipment (22) ______ (assist) yourself and others, seeking shelter if necessary and feeling no shame in turning around.

Nationally, Norway (23) ______ (experience) an 11% increase in tourism in the past decade. From just 1,000 tourists in the whole of 2010, Trolltunga, a piece of rock that stands horizontally out of the mountain, (24) ______ (see) 1,800 visitors in one 2017 day alone. Why? Because people want the same picture they see on Instagram and Facebook. A lot don’t care about the experience of the hike. They just want proof (25) ______ they did it. But, while good for the economy, this tourism boom ha s become a threat (26) ______ Norway’s natural environment.

Used toilet paper, (27) ______ (abandon) tents and plastic bottles can be found littered all around Trolltunga. And with the high amount of people who come unprepared for such an active hike, Norway’s leading hiking group, Friluftsliv, also has called for regulations on the number of tourists (28) ______ (hike) to Trolltunga. Lasse Heimdal, leader of the outdoor organization said, “On a busy day, you may have to wait in line for an hour and a half just to get a picture. To control this, we’d like to regulate (29) ______ _____ people

can hike in a day. Starting hike times should also have regulations so people don’t start too late and find (30) ______ stuck up here.”

Section B

Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A.accommodation

B.annual

C.decline

D.destination

E.diners

F.hosted

G.ingredients H.precisely I.ranked J.remote K.talented

Wor ld’s Best Restaurant

The Black Swan, a rural pub in England has been named “the world’s best restaurant” by TripAdvisor. After scoring up positive feedback, the review website 31 the pub over fine dining establishments from New York to Paris in its 32 Travelers' Choice awards.

So what’s it got going for it?

Firstly, this isn’t some backwater pub enjoying in insignificance. Tommy Banks, a(n)

33 young cook, is already a TV regular in the UK and has had a Michelin star to his name since becoming the youngest receiver ever in 2013 at the age of 24. Secondly, it's not really a pub anymore. Like many rural UK pubs, the Black Swan had been in 34 for many years before 2006, when Banks' family took over. After their attempts to run it as a pub struggled, they decided to make it a dining 35 .

It now operates as both restaurant and fashionable 36 , offering food-and-stay packages that help draw customers to its truly 37 location. It's usually booked up well in advance with 38 coming from near and far. During CNN's visit, neighboring tables included a couple on an overnight break from their kids. Another 39 two of the Banks brothers' old school teachers, on a trip up from York—40 the kind of crowd that have helped lift the Black Swan to TripAdvisor glory.

III. Reading Comprehension

Section A

Directions:For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

Could Buying Paintings Make You Rich?

Is investing in paintings a good way to get rich fast? And how should you invest in art?

“With extreme 41 ” is the advice of Patrick Connolly, a financial adviser. “We don’t

42 our customers to invest in art because the downsides are greater than the upsides. It doesn't produce income or earnings. What you 43 is exclusively based on supply and demand, and there are big movements upwards or downwards if there are changes in the economic environment,” he sai d.

To invest in art as a true investment, you need a starting fund of at least $5,000. But it’s not just about having enough 44 to buy the painting in the first place. Expensive works of art are often stored in protective boxes complete with detectors to monitor humidity and temperature levels, and to protect them from sun damage or other 45 such as a spilled cup of coffee. And if you do put it on your wall, then your insurance costs are likely to be high. If word gets out that you have expensive art hanging on your wall, then you're likely to be a 46 for thieves.

Art is also not a regulated investment so when things go wrong – for example, an artwork turns out to be a fraud（赝品）– then investors cannot fall back on 47 for any repayment.

Of course given the current environment of low interest rates, that's still a(n) 48 return than many savings accounts will give you. As art has no association to the stock market, it means paintings can 49 in value even when the market crashes, making it a good option for investment 50 .

It is reported that after a decrease in the global art market throughout 2016, auction（拍卖）sales 51 in the first six months of 2017. Yet you don't necessarily have to be super-wealthy to invest in art. There are a growing number of art fairs and online marketplaces aimed at buyers with a more 52 budget. Most art industry experts suggest that you buy a piece of art because you like it, not because you want to get rich. The most 53 approach is probably to buy something you like and can 54 and, be prepared to keep it just for your own pleasure. If it goes up in value that should be just a(n) 55 benefit.

41. A. accuracy B. carefulness C. enthusiasm D. generosity

42. A. beg B. control C. forbid D. recommend

43. A. get back B. look into C. take out D. turn to

44. A. desire B. energy C. money D. time

45. A. accidents B. appliances C. measures D. drinks

46. A. partner B. spectator C. target D. therapy

47. A. initiative B. regulation C. strategy D. tradition

48. A. better B. earlier C. healthier D. lower

49. A. fall apart B. fall down C. go ahead D. go up

50. A. funds B. levels C. selections D. rates

51. A. ceased B. proceeded C. recovered D. shrank

52. A. fixed B. limited C. massive D. modest

53. A. creative B. direct C. flexible D. sensible

54. A. afford B. preserve C. transfer D. undertake

55. A. added B. maximum C. obvious D. social

Section B

Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have read.

( A )

Post-00s is a documentary about growing up. It covers almost every aspect of millennials’ experiences on their path toward adolescence –their struggles with schoolwork, their relationship with peers, their confusion if a younger brother or sister is born into the family, and their growing desire to keep a distance from their parents. But this five-episode series was different from any other TV program with a similar theme.

Post-00s was filmed over a period of 10 years, during which the show’s makers followed a group of kids from when they were infants through to when they became teenagers. In other words, the show’s “characters” grow older for real, and their stories are all real.

“Coming-of-age” stories, as they’re known, have a special appeal. They satisfy our curiosity of looking at someone else’s life, and we become more and more attached to the characters as if we truly know them. And while we enjoy the truthfulness of the stor ies because nothing is set in advance, we also can’t help but feel the cruelty of reality. After all, there’s no re-writing of the script（剧本）and there’s no turning back –this is real life.

This realness can also be seen in Boyhood, a 2014 film that won the Silver Bear award for best director at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. During a period of 12 years, the film follows the life of Mason

Jr – played by US actor Ellar Coltrane – from when he was 6 to when he finished high school.

One of Bo yhood’s appeals comes from its “ordinariness”. Mason Jr isn’t some child genius... He is a quietly spoken, fairly typical American boy, growing up in the Texas suburbs. He likes riding his bike and playing video games.

While coming-of-age stories may look ordinary on the outside, they often allow us to look underneath the surface and see something extraordinary – the power of life itself.

56. In the documentary, we see post-00’s growing experience EXCEPT __________.

A. how they deal with their studies

B. how they help look after brothers or sisters

C. how they get along with people of their age

D. how much they long to be independent of their parents

57. What do Post-00 and Boyhood have in common?

A. They’re intended to win an award for best director.

B. The heroes and heroines are characters themselves.

C. They’re a kind of reality show of ordinary kids’ growth.

D. The stories are based on true life but polished by writers.

58. Audience are interested in “coming-of-age” stories because __________.

A. they can see the truth of life

B. they know the characters well

C. they are much fond of gossip

D. they appreciate stories of daily life

59. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A. Post-00s are different geniuses

B. Actors are ordinary characters

C. Documentary is real life

D. Life is one big story

( B )

B B

C SHOP

Entertaining. Informing. Inspiring.

WHAT A RELIEF!

Delight everyone on your holiday gift list with great gifts from the BBC.

You’ll earn heartfelt thanks from nature lovers for Planet Earth I & II: The Complete Collection (page 41) –inspiring look at our planet’s wildest, most mysterious creatures and their breathtaking home.

…from mystery lovers for Sherlock: Complete Seasons 1-4 and The Abominable Bride Giftset (page 13)–entertaining proof that Holmes can be difficult, dangerous, accurate, and absolute funny.

…and from those who appreciate all things British. Delight Charles Dickens fans with Dickensian (page 7). The new dra ma series with more adventures for Dickens’ characters…Dinner with Dickens Cookbook (page 9)with procedures for his favorite dishes…and Tom Baker Reads “A Christmas poem” (page 8) for a wonderful new holiday tradition.

Plus teapots, T-shirts, shortbread, mugs and more – just in time for the holidays.

Enjoy!

NEW

THE MOMENT

Welcome to murder, suspense, romance, robbery and clothing in this exciting

historical drama! Trouble begins for Rachel Verinder the day she inherits a large

diamond stolen from a Hindu temple. When it disappears again, suspicion falls on Franklin Blake, the man who loves her. But what about mysterious cousin Godfrey, the housemaid with a thieving past, and doctor who experiments with opium（鸦片）? Blake must discover the fate of the Moonstone or lose Rachel forever. A powerful tale and emotionally sudden changes, based on the first-ever English detective novel by Wikie Collins. 3?hours.

DVD 21024 $34.99 YOUR PRICE: ￥27.98

WALKERS CHRISTMAS TREE SHORTBREAD AND TINS

Santa and a beautiful Angel put the finishing touches on Christmas tree tins –perfect centerpieces and holiday decorations that your family and friends will enjoy year after year.

Lift the treetops and taste the delicious secret inside: pure butter shortbread shaped like mini-Christmas trees, and made from only finest ingredients – flour, butter, sugar and salt.

Baked in the village of Aberlour in the Scottish Highlands, they follow a generations-old family procedure, first perfected by Joseph Walker in 1898. While the shortbread will disappear as if by magic, the tins will

hold your holiday cookies and candy for many Christmases to come.

Wonderful hostess gifts. Both tins: 6〃h ×4?〃d; net wt 4.4 oz.

Angel 21042 $19.98

Santa 21043 $19.98

60. Tom’s wife is a home baker, so he’d better refer to Page ______ for a Christmas present for her.

A. 8

B. 9

C. 13

D. 41

61. Which of the following statements is TRUE about “The Moment”?

A. It is an adapted drama lasting nearly 4 hours.

B. The story, rather than the actors, is attracting.

C. There are three suspects for stealing the diamond.

D. It is based on Wikie Collins’ most famous detective novel.

62. What can be learned about the shortbread?

A. It usually disappears in a magic way together with the tin.

B. It follows a secret procedure perfected by Joseph Walker.

C. It is wrapped in a tin with both Angel and Santa on it.

D. It is traditionally family-baked in Scotland.

( C )

①Australians have long been known for having a relaxed and casual attitude to life. According to Dr Tanya King, senior lecturer from Victoria’s Deakin University, “It’s Australians’ egalitarianism, sense of humor and informal language that are most commonly mentioned as examples of this attitude”.

②Egalitarianism roots in the way that the nation was built. In Australia’s founding era in the late 1700s, criminal settlers were often cruelly treated and robbed of their basic human rights by governors. The criminal class, who were mostly working-class Brits and Irish, was unable to seek civic positions that were reserved for immigrants who were not the criminal, with the latter arguing that if criminals gained equal rights it would be ‘rewarding criminality’. Bec ause of this, an egalitarian spirit was worn as a symbol of honor by many criminal settlers. They may not have had power, education or wealth, but they had a shared belief in equality.

③The informal way Australians use language is also believed to root in criminal times. Philologist Sidney Baker once wrote that ‘no other class would have a better talent for creating new terms to fit in with their new conditions in life’. Cockney rhyming slang brought over by the British working class was abbreviated even

further –so ‘have a Captains Cook’ (have a look), became ‘ava captains’. This same practice was used to economize ordinary clauses. Words like ‘good day’ became ‘g’day’, and barbecue was ‘barbie’.

④The tough conditions of settler times also played a part in Australians’ dry, self-criticizing and sarcastic （讽刺的）sense of humor. While in many countries it’s considered poor taste to find humor in difficult circumstances, Australians tend to look at the lighter side. On one road trip, as I hit the state line and entered Victoria, I drove past some blackened trees, the leftovers of a recent bushfire. A road sign warning drivers about wildlife was half-melted and bent, but the shape of a hopping kangaroo was still distinct. Behind the figure, someone had drawn flames making it look as though the animal’s tail was on fire. I couldn’t help but laugh – it was a brilliant reminder of the country’s ‘nothing upsets us’ and anti-authoritarian attitude.

⑤And one thing you can’t help but notice when driving around Australia is the country’s plentiful amounts of space. This, along with considerable leisure time plus favorable climate, all contribute to Australians’ relaxed attitude.

63. The underlined word “egalitarianism” is closest to __________ in meaning.

A. criminality

B. cruelty

C. equality

D. governmentalism

64. Which of the following is a feature of the way Australians use language?

A. They use more slangs than other people.

B. They give new meanings to existent words.

C. They favour shortened forms of expressions.

D. They coin terms in memory of criminal times.

65. What can be inferred from paragraph 4?

A. Kangaroos’ living condition s are getting tougher.

B. Forest fires threaten Australian s’ life to a great extent.

C. Potential danger is here and there on the roads in Victoria.

D. Australians’ jokes may not be as careless as they seem on the surface.

66. The passage mainly talks about __________.

A. how the late 1700s impacted Australia

B. why Australians enjoy casual life so much

C. what contributes to Australians’ relaxed lifestyle

D. how Australians present their attitude towards life

Section C

Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.

A.That turned out to be not exactly correct.

B.But Buchanan warned against such an assumption.

C.But a number of business organizations say it should remain untouched.

D.But what works for a clothing company might not work for a different one.

E.Raising the minimum wage is identified as a key way to address the income gap.

F.For opponents of a wage increase, increasing the minimum wage could reduce total

employment by about 500,000 jobs.

More Clarity Needed on Wage Debate

These days, the minimum wage has become something of a big issue in America. 67

For supporters, 16.5 million low-wage workers could see an increase in their weekly earnings and 900,000 people could rise above the poverty line.

Gap Inc, has decided to increase the minimum hourly rate it pays employees to $9 this year and then $10 next year. The company’s announcement will affect 65,000 Gap employees by 2017. Clearly Gap officials believe the money they invest in higher wages will pay off in increased sales and customer satisfaction. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. 68

Also last week, Wal-Mart found itself at the center of the wages gossip when it was reported that the company was looking at supporting an increase in the minimum wage. 69

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said the company remains neutral on the idea of a minimum wage increase, but “obviously it’s something that we look at closely, as any other company would”. She said that more than 99 percent of company associates are paid above the current minimum wage. It has been discussed how increased income for low-wage workers might translate into increased spending. So it’s reasonable to say that a company like Wal-Mart could see a jump in sales if the minimum wage rose. 70 “That is assuming that consumer behavior would be, ‘If they have more money, they’ll spend more money,’” she said. “That isn’t always necessarily true. If we had a crystal ball, we could guess what consumer behavior would be in the future if a minimum wage increase goes through. But you just can’t.”

IV. Summary Writing

Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Are Open Offices Good for Us?

Four years ago, Chris Nagele did what many other technology executives have done before – moved his team into an open concept office. His staff had been entirely working from home, but he wanted everyone to be together, to connect and cooperate more easily. It quickly became clear, though, that Nagele had made a huge mistake. Everyone was distracted and productivity suffered and nine employees were unhappy, not to mention Nagele himself. About three years after moving into the open office, Nagele moved the company into a 10,000-square foot office where everyone now has their own space — complete with closing doors.

Numerous companies have held the open office — about 70% of US offices are open concept — and very few have moved back into traditional spaces with offices and doors. But researc h that we’re 15% less productive, we have huge trouble concentrating in open working spaces, has contributed to a growing criticism against open offices.

Beside the cheaper cost, one main argument for the open workspace is that it increases teamwork. Howev er, it’s well documented that we rarely brainstorm brilliant ideas when we’re just shooting the breeze in a crowd. Instead, as many of us know, we’re more likely to hear about the Christmas gift a colleague is buying for a family member, or problems with y our deskmate’s spouse.

For jobs that require focus, like writing, advertising, financial planning and computer programming, some companies that aren’t ready to abandon open plans are experimenting with quiet and closed spaces. The trouble with that, is som e of us don’t feel comfortable leaving the team to go off on our own—it can feel as if we’re not pulling our weight if we’re not present. That’s particularly true in high-pressure environments. Some of us even feel that escaping to a quiet room is a sign of weakness.

第II卷（共40分）

V. Translation

Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets.

72. 选举的结果很快便在全世界传播开了。(spread)

73. 警察告知了他们那场导致他们儿子受伤的交通事故。(which)

74. 太多的数据会使我们很难判断错误是由哪个数据引起的。(difficult)

75. 任何处理复杂问题的人都可能因为没有全面了解挑战而受到指责，虽然事先了解一切是不可能的。(blame)

VI. Guided Writing

Directions: Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.

20XX年已接近尾声，还记得年初你为自己定下的小目标吗？不知你是否实现了你的小目标？发一个微信朋友圈来回顾一下吧（文中请不要出现真实的校名人名）。你的朋友圈文字内容需包括：

1. 你的20XX年度小目标；

2. 你为实现年度小目标所作的努力；

3. 你实现（或没有实现）年度小目标的经验总结。

1-5 ADCDB 6-10 BDBCB

11-14 CADC 15-17 DBC 18-20 DBC

21. which /that 22. to assist 23. has experienced 24. saw 25. that 26. to

27. abandoned 28. hiking 29. how many 30. themselves

31-35 IBKCD 36-40 AJEFH

41-45 BDACA 46-50 CBADC 51-55 CDDAA

56-59 BCAD 60-62 BAD 63-66 CCDD

67-70 FDAB

71. Main points:

Para 1- 3: Though open offices is meant to raise cooperation, employees feel it hard to concentrate, thus reducing productivity. （3分）

Para 4: Quiet and closed spaces are better choices for jobs demanding concentration, but some have a feeling of discomfort or weakness to work alone. （2分）

72. The result of the election spread rapidly all over the world.

73. The police informed them of the accident which resulted in their son’s injury / in which their son got

injured.

74. Too many data make it difficult for us to determine which one has caused the error.

75. Anyone dealing with a complicated problem may be blamed for not fully understanding the challenge,

though it’s impossible to know everything in advance.

I. Listening Comprehension

Section A

Directions: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and the question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.

1. W: Would you mind if we discuss tomorrow’s schedule before dinner this evening?

M: Not at all. I certainly don’t want to talk about it during our meal.

Q: When will the two speakers discuss the schedule?

2. M: Check in here?

W: Yes, can I see your flight ticket, please?

Q: Where does the conversation most probably take place?

3. W: I couldn’t stand this morning. My right leg went hard.

M: I’m afraid it’s probably a side effect from the drugs I put you on.

Q: What is the most probable relationship between the two speakers?

4. M: Is it true that all of them survived the fire last night?

W: Yes, a miracle, isn’t it? There was a couple on the second floor and two women and three kids on the ground floor. But no one was badly hurt.

Q: How many people were caught in the fire?

5. W: It’s so hot today. I can’t work. I wish the air conditioning were on in this library.

M: So do I. I’ll fall asleep if I don’t get out of this airless room soon.

Q: What is the cause of their complaint?

6. M: You seem to have been restless the whole day today. What’s up?

W: Later in the afternoon they will announce who will get permission for the study trip to Africa.

Q: How does the woman probably feel?

7. W: I heard that PICC is going to hold interviews on campus next week.

M: Yeah, what day? I’d like to talk to them and drop my resumé.

Q: What does the man intend to do?

8. M: I will never go with Bill again. He could never remember where he parked his car.

W: That certainly sounds like Bill.

Q: What do we know about Bill from the conversation?

9. W: Would you pass me the sports section, please?

M: Sure, if you give me the classified ads and local news section.

Q: What are the two speakers doing?

10. M: My grades are not bad, but not good enough. I know I didn’t study at all this semester. Now I have to

work very hard next semester to keep my scholarship.

W: I’ll see you in the library, then.

Q: What does the woman mean?

Section B

Directions:In Section B, you will hear one longer conversation and two short passages. After each conversation or passage, you will be asked several questions. The conversation and the passages will be read twice, but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, read the four possible answers on your paper and decide which one would be the best answer to the question you have heard.

Questions 11 through 14 are based on the following conversation.

M: I am so relieved. I just finished the story I was working on for our creative writing course.

W: I haven’t quite finished mine yet. I had trouble getting past the beginning.

M: How come?

W: Well, I was really happy to be writing a detective story. But after the first few pages, I sort of froze up ment ally. I just couldn’t write any more.

M: The same thing happened to me. I thought it meant I lack imagination.

W: Well, Professor Wilson said it’s pretty common for writers to get stuck like that.

M: You went to talk to her about it?

W: Actually, I went to ask for more time to finish the assignment. But instead she gave me some advice about how to pull myself out of the situation like that. She said that first thing I should do is just write anything that comes into my head even if it doesn’t make any sens e, sort of warm up exercise.

M: That is interesting. When I got stuck, I shifted to something else, you know, do some work for one of my other courses.

W: Well, her methods seem to have worked for me. I’ve written most of the story, and should be able to h and it in on time. But first I need to go to the jewelry store.

M: You’re going shopping? Can’t you wait until you finish your story?

W: I am going there for my story. My detective solves a jewelry store robbery, so I want to take a look at how the jewelry cases are arranged, where the security cameras are located, that sort of thing.

11. What are the two speakers talking about?

12. What can be learned about the woman?

13. What did Professor Wilson advise the woman to do?

14. What i the woman going to do in the jewelry store?

Questions 15 through 17 are based on the following passage.

Thailand’s annual university admissions tests are taking place this week. Tens of thousands of students are trying to give the right answers to math and language questions. High scores permit students to enter the top schools. However, these tests will not be in place for much longer. The current examinations require that students memorize facts in high school classes. They do not test critical thinking or creative problem solving abilities. The Ministry of Education wants to encourage young people to innovate. So, it will begin a new selection process for university students. They hope the best schools will start to accept people with new business ideas.

The ministry’s deputy director for higher education told VOA the new exam system will look for people interested in invention or starting businesses. She said the ministry hopes new admissions policies will reshape the 12-year public education system. She said it should not focus only on memorization of facts but

also on the growth of other skills.

15. What can we learn about Thailand’s current university admissions tests?

16. What is the Ministry of Education’s intention to have a new exam system?

17. What is the expected impact to be brought by the new admissions policies?

Questions 18 through 20 are based on the following passage.

As more and more people lose their jobs, now is perhaps the time to consider the experience of unemployment. What are the first feelings? Well, losing a job, or not being able to find one, almost always brings unwelcome changes. As well as the loss of income, many people find the whole routine of their life is destroyed, their contact with other people reduced, their ambitions broken, their identity as a worker removed.

At first there may be good feelings too – a new and better job is just around the corner – it is nice to be able to lie in bed in the morning or spend more time with the children. But, unless a better job does turn up, the chances are the days start getting longer and time becomes harder to fill. Many people pass through periods of difficulty in sleeping and eating. They feel ill-tempered and depressed, often isolated and lonely.

Despite all these problems though, unemployment can be a fresh start. You can discover that it provides an opportunity to sort out or rethink what you want from life and how best you can get it. You can use the time to plan how to find a new job, learn a new skill, develop your hobbies or see if you can run your own business.

18. What negative change may unemployment bring to people?

19. What is not the probable reaction when people cannot find a job for a long time?

20. In what way does unemployment do good to people?